Shuffleboard weight position indicator



Feb- 21,1950 M. J. HAR-BECK 2,498,547

SHUFFLEBOARD. WEIGHT POSITION INDICATOR 2 SheefLs-Sheet 1' Filed May 10, 1948 Fwd.

. \NVENTOR} ATTORNEY.

Feb. 21, 1950 M. J. HARBECK 2,498,547

' SHUFFLEBOARD WEIGHT POSITION INDICATOR I Filed May 10,- 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III-m1 Ill! .5! L ;z4 r,

W/V Zw ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 21, 1950 SHUFFLEB'OKRD WEIGHT POSITION INDICATOR S n Merle J: :Harbeck; Buffalm N. 'Y. Application Ma'y 194s;seria1'No;-26,207

' This'in'ventiom relates gen'erallyto the game'- known as shuffle-board," butmore -par-ticularly to a novel device or-instrumentior-indicating the-position of a"given-counter"or weight relativeto another weight or to one 'or' another -"of the zone lines on the playing board.

It has forpneof its'objects"'toprovide' an instrument" of this character which is so d-esigned" and constructed as to effectua'lly-andpositively in-- dicateor register disputed positionsof'theplayingpieces or weightsomthe'board; su'ch aswh'ethera weight'is short of'being'over'a givenslineywhether one weight or another'rof'several weights .is' theleading one,or'whetheria'weight istactually hanging overthe-endof the"playing'-board:'

Another obj ect" of the 'invention'is' toiprovide a' portable 'shuffle-boarwweightindicator". which is not only" simple, compact and" inexpensivein construction, butwhich is. sensitive, yetiv positive and reliable inoperati'on; and "which ..is readily adjustable to adapt it to" any clearance that the playing teams may determineias necessary and wherein'its accuracy of performance will eliminate any "question of weight-position .where' the eye .alone is notsufficient to determine it.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of, "parts? hereinafter described and particularly. pointed out .in

the app'ended'claims.

In the accompanying (drawings: MN

' Figure 1 is a fragmentary -top plan .view of a shuttle-board showing my indicator. in. different"testing. positions thereon. TFi'g'ure ;2...is..an. enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectiomtakenon line 22, Figure 1. 'Figure 3'..is;a. horizontal.

section taken oniline.343',lIFigure..2. Figure A is a fragmentary longitudinal se'titionltakemsubstantial'lyflin the-plane offline 4'-4,-.Figure Figure 5 is a. similar. section vtaken substantially. in the plane oihline 5-;5,'Figure.1. LFigure Glisa fragmentary vertical. section. .takenon line. 6-45, Figure. 5. Figure 7 .isIa diagram. of the. electric.

circuit of the indicator device. 7 Similar characters of;reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In Figure 1 is shown. a...portion. of a shufile board of ordiharymonstruction"having a playing surface It surrounded by a gutter. and

having transverse lines or shallow grooves l2 thereon dividing the same into zones. The playing pieces, known as counters or weights, are indicated by the numeral I3.- In the playing of t-he'=garrne1.-friendly disputes arisei 'as toiirelative positions assumed by the .weights' andzztheainstnument constitutingthe subjectrmatteri-rofamy invention acts to settle suchg 'd-isputesrbypindie .cating, through the medium of a lighted lamp or the'1ike,-whether=a given'weight is over the.

line, or overhanging" the end; of the playingsur-' face; or which one-of two orxmore 'weightais the leading one.

This instrument consistsof a comparatively small, lightcasing I4 of substantially rectangular shape which has an upright portion atone end adapted to be squared against theend of the playing surface when checking a -so-called "hanger, as shown "-in Figure 2, laterally-spaced depending tongues or flanges 16 on thloottorn of such adjoining Leasing-end" adapted :to register with one of theboard-"grooves I 2" "when checking.

th'e position of a weight 1-3 relative theretoy-as shown in "Figure5, and depending guide flanges l I on its bottom =ior detachable" engagement with a T-square I8 or the like, in the m'anner shown l in Figure 4 and at the -right side ofFigure-1,

when 'cheeking: two or morewei'ghts for alead position. 'The up'right' casing=porti0n 15 is pref erablyshapedintopiiplan, asshow-n in Figure'B,

and terminates at its'iopposite sides iII-IOIWELFdIY- facing-flanges I 9 whose treeedges "are adapted for-.abuttingeengagement with the-endof the playing surface of" thecboard, while its :top andbottomaisrecessed, asin'dicate'diat:19 .toi aflo'rd clearancezb'etween l the casing-wall and the weight being: tested; for position.

Fitted inzther endiportionl5 of? the casing iorlongitudinal displacement :Jrela'tive thereto are upper and lowerg 'horizontallysdisposed detector pins 20 and 21, respectively, and fitted in the: op-- posite end of the ;casing- 1 adjacent .the bottom thereof isuaathird min 22. These pinsfprojects sufiiciently =irom"..the" respective 1 ends of the: easing to: make-1a pointv contact with t the weights when checking :them .for': position, and N if the position 'ofna: :given :weightt wisz such as T to causethe;- inward displacement 'oftthercompanioni :pin then"; such. displacement: selectively initiates the.

closing-of an electric: circuit v23izto light .1a lamp. 24:;positioned on the: topxof the-casing: for: ready observation-rand? thereby :indicatextor'rthe players that thesweightvso' tested is vin;onef. or "anothei of thezscorin-g positions heretofore mentioned. 2.0m the other hand, if the pin is not soildisplacedsand the i :lamp :circuits isi not: closed; thenelthei lampi-Jis not: lighted: tandwthe gipla'yersf are: informed .that.

th asweight so testediis not; in av scoringposition.

Included in 1 parallele in r; the lamp,- :circuit 23 are switches :indica-ted; generally by thexnumerals 2 5-, 2 6-and2 1 which are: normally open and which are: adapted to xi-be-rselectively closed when :thex companion: :dete'ctor pins 20;: 2 [wand :22 are displaced by; .the 1 weight I 3- to; a switcheclosingi PO-1* 1 the shorter arm by gravity against the adjusting screw. Companion to the blade element 28 is element 32 fulcrumed adjacent one end on a horizontal pivot 33 with its shorter pendant arm normally urged by gravity against the companion head end of the detector pin 23, 2! or 22 and the longer contact arm being in operativerelation to the corresponding arm of the blade element 28 and normally out of contact therewith, as shown at the lower right hand corner of the casing in Figure 2. When-a detector pin is ,displaced by the weight as shown in Figurev 4, the companion blade element 324s rocked thereby into switch-closing contact with the companion blade element 28 to close that switch circuit to the lamp 24. A stop P111334 isdisposed in the path of the short arm of the blade element 32 to limit its degree of movement as well as that of the detector pin.

'A pair of dry cells or batteries 35 removably supported within the casing serves to furnish the current required for the lamp circuit.

While manifestly simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, this indicating instrument for shuffle boards is easy to use and when it comes to settling disputes as to relative positions of the weights or counters it is accurate and can be relied on.

I claim as my invention:

1. An indicator for shufiie boards, comprising a portable casing having an indicating element thereon and having a straight upright edge at one end for abutting engagement against the playing board, upper and lower detector pins movably guided in said casing along its upright edge and adapted for displaceable contact with one or another of the playing weights when the casing is brought .into elevational registration therewith, and means in said .casing in actuating relation to said. detectorpins, respectively, for rendering the indicating elementoperative upon a predetermined displacement of said pins by said weights.

2. An indicator for shuflie boards, comprising ,a casing, a plurality of detector pins slidably guided on said casingat different points thereof for contact at their outer ends with the periphery of aplaying weight, an electric circuit including a lamp. adapted tobe lighted whenever one. or another of said detector pins is displaced inwardly by a playing weight, and a plurality of normally-open switches corresponding in number to said pins included in said circuit, each .of the switches including a pivoted element havinga portionnormally urged in engagement with the inner end of the companion detector pin to displace it outwardly.

.3; Anrindicator for shufile boards, comprising a casing, a plurality of detector pins 'slidably guided 'on said casing at different points thereof for contact at their'outer ends with the periphery of a playing weight, an electric circuit including a lamp adapted to be lighted whenever one or another of said detector pins in displaced inwardly by aiplayingiweight, and a plurality of normally-open. switches included in said circuit and a pin-actuated, vertically-swinging switch blade 4 each including a vertically-swinging blade ele ment having a stop for limiting its movement in one direction and a complemental swinging blade element having a portion normally disposed out of contact with the first-named blade element and a portion in, operative relation to a companion detector pin and normally urging it toan outwardly displaced position; i r

4. indicator for shufile boards, comprising a portable. casing having an indicating lamp thereon, an electric circuit for the lamp, a plu rality of switch means mounted in said casing and included in the lamp circuit for rendering the same selectively operative, each switch means including relatively movable pivoted elements normally seeking a switch-opening position, and a plurality of displaceable pins in correlation to said switch means and freely guided in and projecting from different walls of the casing for initiating contact at their outer ends with one or another of a given positioned playing weight orweights, the inner end of each pin being in constant bearing engagement with and normally projected outwardly by, a companion switch element. i g

5 A shuflie board weight indicating device, comprising a portable casing having an upright portion thereon for squaring it against the end of the playing surface of the board and a portion on its bottom for registering alinement with one or another of the transverse zone lines of the playing board, an indicating element on said casing, a plurality of individually movable means mounted in said casing and operatively connected detector pin.

to'said indicating element for rendering the same selectively operative when displaced from their normally inoperative to an operative-position, and a plurality of detector pins corresponding in number to said movable means guided on said casing and normally projecting at their outer ends beyond the'casing for peripheral contact with a playing weight and in operative relation at their inner ends with the companion individually movable means. V

6. A shufile board weight indicating device, comprising a portable casing having an uprightv portion thereon for squaring it against'the end of the playing surface of the board and a portion I on its bottom for registering alinement with one ends with the periphery of a playing weight, an electric circuit including a lamp on said casing adapted to be lighted whenever one or another of said detector pins is displaced by a playing weight, and a plurality of normally-open switches in the casing corresponding in number to said pins and included in; saidv circuit, one of the elements of each switch being in operative governing relation to the inner end of'tnecompanion MERLE J. HARBECK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 3 g

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 2,099,896 Kinzel Nov. 23, 1937 2,331,669 Entriken Oct. 12, 1943 2,431,099 Wiseman et al. Nov. 18, 1947 2,433,585 Warner Dec; 30, 1947 

